


Tradition

by Plethora



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Christmas, F/F, Filipino culture, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-17
Updated: 2021-01-17
Packaged: 2021-03-15 11:02:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28812381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plethora/pseuds/Plethora
Summary: My Secret Santa fic is for the amazing FabulousPotatoSister!The Doctor wants to celebrate Christmas with you. Christmas may already be passed but it doesn't mean that she can't have a small celebration with you and she has plans to try a tradition.
Relationships: Thirteenth Doctor/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8
Collections: Thirsting for Thirteen Server Secret Santa 2020





	Tradition

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FabulousPotatoSister](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FabulousPotatoSister/gifts).



> My Secret Santa fic is for the amazing FabulousPotatoSister! I hope you enjoy it! I tried to incorporate something that would be culturally significant (in a small way) and I am so, so sorry if I messed it up!!!

“I know that it technically isn’t Christmas anymore for you, but - well you know- time machine and all.”

The Doctor did a little flourish as she reminded you that she lived in a time machine. As if you would ever forget this fact after having traveled with her throughout time for years. You tried to hide your laughter behind your hand, she was so cute. All eager and attempting to convince you of something you hadn’t even said no to yet.

"I don't know Doctor," you played hard to get, "last time we really celebrated Christmas together you ate mistletoe and got sick..."

For someone who spent so much time around humans, the Doctor managed to misunderstand traditions quite often. The fact that her eleventh body -or so she claimed, with how often she forgot her own age you almost doubted she knew how many bodies she had inhabited- had decided it was a good idea to consume all the mistletoe that you had used to decorate the TARDIS with was a clear sign of her ability to misunderstand tradition. They had gotten horribly sick and you had spent the whole holiday trying to keep the stubborn Time Lord in bed. You had never let him live it down, even when he had regenerated.

"That was two lifetimes ago. And I thought we promised never to mention it again!"

Okay, maybe after a lot of begging you had agreed to let them "live it down". 

You held her pouting face in your hands. A silent apology for bringing it up. Thumbs rubbing against her cheeks. You would feel bad about teasing her if it weren’t for the smile on her face the moment you touched her.

"What did you have in mind, Doctor?" You couldn’t help but inquire.

She leaned into the affection you were showing her like a touch-starved cat. Completely ignoring your question in favor of nuzzling into your palms. Eyes closed in bliss.

"Doctor?"

You hoped to catch her attention before you had to resort to drastic measures, like pulling your palms away from her face.

"I've been researching," she murmured. "I have a small idea, nothing big or impressive. We barely need to leave the TARDIS, which reduces the chance of trouble."

"Oh? So unlike your previous two selves, we will actually manage to do this unscathed? No sick from mistletoe boyish Time Lords? Or trouble seeking grumpy Scotsman Scrooges?"

You let yourself be just a bit dramatic about your somewhat sarcastic teasing. After the mistletoe disaster, her next regeneration refused to celebrate the holiday with you. It wouldn’t have been as disappointing as it was if he hadn’t tried to find an alien invasion to stop in order to avoid celebrating with you. It had been almost insulting. Which was why in the following years you had simply gone home for Christmas. The Doctor’s newest regeneration had a reestablished interest in celebrating the holiday with you that you didn’t quite trust yet. 

You kissed her nose before finally pulling your hands away from cradling her face, reveling in getting her to scrunch her nose in surprise. She stumbled after you for a moment before she caught herself and rushed around the TARDIS. Maneuvering around the console as she rushed to get you to your destination before you could consider denying her. Not that you would ever deny her.

“I didn’t agree to your plans yet Doctor!”

She ducked her head out around the center column. 

“Ah, but you didn’t say no yet either!”

Smiling incredulously, you shook your head, knowing that there would be no stopping her now.

“Can I know what the plan even is? Please, Doctor?”

You made your best puppy dog eyes at her. Doing your best to will her into giving away the plans she likely wanted to keep as a surprise.

“It’s a surprise! Besides, I’m sure that you will recognize what the plan is once we buy what we need for it.”

The TARDIS landed with a soft, teasing chime. The machine herself laughing at your sorry attempt at manipulation. The Doctor gave her a look that practically said, ‘please stop making fun of my human’.

Grabbing a scarf from the hexagon step’s railing, she did an awkward little jog over to you. Throwing the scarf around your head, pulling you in close before wrapping the one end around your neck. The other end had the majority of the excess. The tails were obviously lopsided. In a quick motion, the Doctor wrapped the other end around her own neck. Burying her chin in the fabric, hoping to hide the blush creeping across her cheeks.

“Sharing a scarf... it’s cute.”

You avoided her eyes, starting to feel just as embarrassed as she was. The two of you seemed to be back to the shy teen stage of your relationship after her regeneration this time. Everything seemed softer, every glance and touch full of yearning. 

“Well, you can’t wander off and get into trouble if we are attached,” the Doctor eventually found as an excuse for the action that could have been seen as either sweet or clingy.

“More like it’s a kiddy leash so a certain Time Lady can’t run off and get into trouble without me.”

You gently nudged her in the side as you playfully teased her.

“Hey!” She protested in faux outrage. “I’ll have you know that I am perfectly capable of dragging you into trouble without the help of my makeshift human danger-magnet leash.”

“Human danger-magnet leash!” 

Laughing you almost fell over, bringing the Doctor with you. Luckily you caught yourself in time before you could fall far.

“Shut up!” She was smiling. “Come on, trouble maker let’s go get the shopping done with before some aliens decide to invade the market I’ve chosen.”

Walking out of the TARDIS you almost expected the market to be- well, alien. Instead, it seemed to be a normal human market like the ones you would find back home. However the ordinary setting didn’t disappoint you, it served as reassurance that the small celebration that the Doctor wanted to have with you would actually manage to be peaceful.

Exploring side by side you tried to determine what it was that the Doctor was looking for. If you knew what you were searching for you could help to find it. All of your attempts to ask were met with a smile and gentle reassurance that you were smart and would figure it out. You had your suspicions when the Doctor stopped at a stall lit up with the traditional paper Christmas stars you would see at home during the holidays.

Those suspicions furthered as she gathered up bamboo poles and colored paper. Your excitement grew as she paid for the items. She had actually done some research, she hadn’t just said that to reassure you. As the shopkeeper handed her the bag filled with her purchases she turned to you.

“Back to the TARDIS before trouble can find us?”

You looked at her in adoration,” back to the TARDIS,” you agreed.

**************************

Sitting on the console room floor you helped the Doctor to organize the supplies as she started to nervously ramble.

“I watched a few videos so I should be okay at putting the star frame together for the parols. Is it pronounced parol? I honestly don’t know how to pronounce it, the videos I watched always just had the instructions typed out on the screen while calming music played. Did they pick calming music because putting these together is normally stressful? Or do you think it was just whatever the top royalty-free song happened to be? Either way, I think I can make the parol frames. Please tell me if I’m making a fool of myself and saying that wrong!”

“Your pronunciation is perfect Doctor,” you kissed her cheek to help stop her rambling.

As you continued to organize the paper by color the Doctor started to assemble the frames. Using her sonic as a method by which to secure the poles in place. You had no idea how it was working but you weren’t about to question it. She was making them in a variety of sizes, one was so big you weren't sure that you had enough paper to cover the frame. You thought about telling her that one was too big, but you didn’t want to ruin her fun.

Once the paper was organized you began to cover the completed frames. Starting with the smaller frames that would take up less paper. Gluing the paper onto the frames with care, not wanting to rip any of it. It was delicate work, but it was fun.

The Doctor watched your movements carefully when she was done putting all the frames together, watching with eager childlike interest. Slowly, after you had finished covering a few frames, she began to work on covering a few herself.

Her attempts were a bit childish. Small corners not covered or the paper bunched up in places. But you didn't mind at all. They had character, they spoke of being made by the Doctor.

The companionable silence as you worked ended when it was time to work together on covering the ambitiously large parol. The two of you joking together as you attempted to cover the large frame. You making fun of her for wanting to make one this huge. You managed to just barely cover the whole frame. It looked like the inside of a kaleidoscope with the random assortment of colors patched together.

The Doctor hung the parols throughout the console room, the natural glow of the pillars lighting them up. You felt as though you were in a sea of stars. The TARDIS pulsed lightly to bring your attention to the side of the room where two mugs of hot chocolate and a large fuzzy blanket were placed. Bringing them to the center of the room you settled onto the floor. Wrapping the blanket around your shoulders. When the Doctor finished hanging the last parol she turned to you for approval. Opening your arms to her you encouraged her to join you in the blanket for cuddles.

Immediately she rushed to clutch at you, snuggling into your arms with a content sigh.

"Do you like it?" She nervously asked.

"I love it, Doctor. Thank you."

You handed her the mug of hot chocolate and laughed as she eagerly drank it, leaving a milk mustache on her upper lip. Kissing her lips sweetly brought the sweet taste of chocolate to your own mouth. You picked up your own mug and took a sip while admiring the parols spread throughout the room. Maybe you could celebrate Christmas again with this incarnation of the Doctor without fear of trouble. You smiled, you'd have to see how next year went.


End file.
